Introduction: Jesus Tells Peter How He Will Die

Reading John 21:17-19, where Jesus prophesies Peter's crucifixion and calls him to follow. The sermon title is introduced.

John 21, and we're going to read verses 17, 18, and 19. The title of the message today is "The Way to Die.

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

Lovest thou me?

Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee." Jesus said unto him, "Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say to thee, when thou wast young, thou girdest thyself and walkest whither thou wouldest. But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

Follow me."

The Certainty and Unavoidability of Death

Most people avoid thinking about death, but Scripture affirms that all will die and none can prevent it. Death is likened to a peeping tom in Jeremiah 9:21.

In this passage, our Lord tells the Apostle Peter exactly how he is to die. You know, the truth of the matter is most of us never ever really think about dying. We do not even want to entertain the idea of death. Moreover, we certainly do not want to contemplate the way in which we're going to die. I'm absolutely sure that most people never think of death, nor the way in which they will eventually die. One thing is absolutely and certainly sure, and that is that each of us is going to die in some manner. Death will come to us either through old age, disease, accidents, incidents, persecution, violently in some manner sometimes, and other times just what you and I would call normal and natural death. But the truth of the matter is, death is going to come to us.

In Psalm 22 and verse 29, the Word of God says, "All they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship. All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him, and none can keep his soul alive." Now stop and think about that. "And none can keep his soul alive," which means that none of us can survive; we are going to die. In Psalm 49 in verse 7, the Bible says,

So we cannot prevent our death, neither can we prevent the deaths of others as well. The interesting thing is when you read through the book of Jeremiah. In Jeremiah chapter 9 and verse 21, Jeremiah likens death to a peeping tom.

Here's what he said: "For death is come up into our windows and is entered into our palaces to cut off the children from without and the young men from the street." But notice what he said: "For death is come up into our windows," almost like death is peeping in, looking for someone to pounce upon. Well, the fact is, we know that we're going to die. And the very fact that we know that, it should provoke us to do some thinking and certainly some preparation as well.

Jesus' Desire to Glorify the Father in Death

On the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus about His 'exodus' (death). Jesus consistently sought to glorify the Father, even in death.

It was the Confederate General Stonewall Jackson who made this statement. He said, "I do not concern myself with the time of my death. My concern is that I want to be prepared whenever it may overtake me." And certainly that is wise. We don't need to be concerned about the time. We just need to be concerned that we're ready. I hope that you remember the incident of the Mount of Transfiguration where our Lord Jesus was actually transfigured before his apostles, Peter, James, and John. But if you remember on the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah met with Jesus Christ, and they spoke and they had a conversation. Now, if you're unaware of what that conversation was about, I want to show you. So if you look in your Bibles, holding John 21, but turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 9, Luke chapter 9. And note, if you would please, beginning there with verse 28, Luke 9 and verse 28. Look what the Bible says: "And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain and prayed."

"And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and glistering. And behold, there talked with him two men who were Moses and Elias or Elijah, who appeared in glory and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish in Jerusalem." So I find that interesting: on the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah meet our Lord and they are concerned and they are talking about his decease, which he should fulfill and complete at Jerusalem. Now, an interesting thing is this: the word "decease" is from the Greek word "exodus," which literally means to exit, to depart, or to depart from this life through death. So they were actually speaking to him concerning his exodus. Now I'm absolutely positively sure that our Lord Jesus Christ desired to glorify the Father in his death. In fact, that was his stated purpose not only in his death but in his life as well. You remember that passage in John chapter 18 where the mob had come to take our Lord and Peter drew out his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus. I've had people ask me in time past, "Do you think Peter really meant to cut Malchus's ear off?" And my response is no, I don't think he meant to cut it off. I think he's aiming for the center of his head. He just missed, you know, and he cut that ear off. And the interesting thing is, our Lord reached down, picked the ear up, stuck it back on Malchus just like it had never been severed.

And I've often wondered, what went through Malchus's mind? You know, here I am coming out to get this man, my ear's cut off and all of a sudden it's put back, you know. But our Lord looked at Peter and he just simply said this:

In other words, I'm willing to do whatever God would have me to do. And of course, in John 8, in verse 29, our Lord said, "He that sent me is with me. The Father has not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him." So our Lord then was very interested in glorifying his Father, not just in life, but in death as well.

And look what he prays: "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee." So it goes without saying that Jesus Christ was interested in glorifying his Father even in death.

The Question: How Would You Like to Die?

Most would prefer a peaceful death, but the greater concern should be whether we will glorify God in our death, as Jesus told Peter his death would glorify God.

Now let me ask you a question. Maybe you have not thought about this. Maybe you have. In fact, I probably know the answer before I ever ask the question. So here's my question: How would you like to die? I am sure that the most normal and the most natural response would be, "I want to die peacefully and easily in a ripe old age, surrounded by family and friends." There's nothing wrong with that. You know, I've thought that. I've also thought something else: I've also thought that I would like to have a few days notice before I died, just so I could witness to my family, my friends again. I can't help but think of a story I heard one time about this young man. He said, "I wanted to die like my grandfather died, peacefully and in his sleep. He didn't want to die like the rest of those people on the bus screaming in terror and agony as he went over the cliff." Well, you know, I've got, I have, or I had friends, good friends that went to bed, went to sleep and just never woke up. There's nothing wrong with that, especially if you're ready to die and your everything's prepared. But that's the way John Battelle went. He went in his sleep. So I'm just simply saying, you know, we are concerned many times, not only with dying. We're also concerned sometimes with the manner in which we die. But let me show you something which should actually concern us more.

If you go back to John 21, John 21, and look if you would please at verse 19. Remember now, our Lord is talking to Peter. And he's talking about his death. So in John 21 and verse 19, our Lord says this to Peter: "This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God." Isn't that interesting? "By what death he should glorify God." And after he told him that, he just simply said to Peter, "Follow me." So understandably now, what our Lord is telling Peter is he's telling him the manner in which he's going to die, but the manner in which that death is going to glorify God. So here's the thing: Have we ever meditated or considered the fact that in our death, we would want to glorify our Father as well? It's not just the fact that we will die. It's not just the fact that we will die in some manner. It must be considered, will we honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ as we die? Now, I want you to note, if you would, verse 19, once again: "This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God."

Peter's Martyrdom and the Example of Paul

Peter was crucified upside down; Paul was beheaded. Both faced death desiring to magnify Christ. Paul's 'holy indifference' in Philippians 1 shows a life and death focused on Christ's glory.

Let me show you how this phrase is used. Go back in your Bibles to John 12, and look at verses 32 and 33. John 12, notice if you would beginning there with verse 32. Watch carefully. John 12, verse 32. Our Lord said,

This he said, signifying what death he should die. In other words, our Lord is going to be crucified. If you look in John 18 and verse 32, John 18 and verse 32, the word of God says,

So our Lord then is talking about his own crucifixion. Now, if you go back to John, chapter 21, and look, if you would please, again, in verses 18 and 19, look what our Lord tells Peter.

He says, "Verily, verily, I say to thee, when thou wast young, thou girdest thyself and walkest whither thou wouldest." In other words, you did whatever you wanted to, wherever you wanted to go. But watch what he says: "But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not." So now he's talking about Peter being crucified. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. Now Peter was crucified in Rome in 64 AD. Tradition says that he was crucified upside down. In fact, Peter chose that because he believed that he was not worthy to be crucified in the same manner that our Lord was crucified, so he was crucified upside down. Eusebius in 325 AD in his ecclesiastical history states that all the Apostles were martyred with the exception of the Apostle John. Now most of the apostles were martyred, that is for sure. But if we have absolute conclusive proof of every one of them being martyred, no, I wouldn't say so. But in all probability, they were. But when it comes to the apostle Paul and when it comes to the apostle Peter, absolutely sure that they were both martyred in 64 A.D.

under the persecution of Nero. Now, of course, Paul was beheaded, but Peter was crucified and probably upside down. Let me give you a quote from Albert Barnes, and he's talking about the crucifixion of Peter. He says this: "The ancients say that Peter was crucified at Rome about 34 years after this, with his head downward. Clemens says that he was led to the crucifixion with his wife and sustained her in her sufferings. She was crucified as well." "by exhorting her to remember the example of our Lord. He also adds that Peter died, not as the philosophers did, but with a firm hope of heaven and patiently endured the pains of the cross." So evidently, Peter's wife was martyred in some manner, probably crucified just like Peter was. And if you will turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter chapter 1, you'll see Peter even talking about his death. Notice 2 Peter chapter 1, and let's begin reading there with verse 13. 2 Peter 1 verse 13. Look what he says. 2 Peter 1 verse 13.

"Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, that is in this body, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, that is his body, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed me." The words he said: "I'm gonna die. I know I'm going to die. I even know the manner in which I'm going to die. Moreover, I will endeavor that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance." That's why he's writing. But notice, he said "after my decease." The word "decease" is the same word as used in Luke 9. It's the word "exodus." After my departure, after my exit, I'm leaving this world through death.

Now, Peter certainly was martyred. The Apostle Paul was martyred. Many other individuals were martyred as well. Although the title of this message is "The Way to Die," I am not suggesting that the way to die is to die a martyr's death. Multitudes have died a martyr's death. If you have never read the book, Fox's Book of Martyrs, I would encourage you to do so. You will find ample illustrations of men and women that have given their lives for the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, you don't even have to buy the book.

All you have to do is go online to the Gutenberg Project. And you can have that book right there and you can read it free. The Avalon Project as well has a lot of historical works at your fingertips. All you have to do is just simply type in the Avalon Project or the Gutenberg Project. And if you've never read Fox's Book of Martyrs, I would certainly encourage you to do so.

Now, again, let me say this. I'm not suggesting that martyrdom is the way to die. So if I'm not suggesting that martyrdom is the way to die, what is the way to die? Here it is. The way to die is in faith, in full confidence in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ after having lived a faithful and fruitful life.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Philippians, and you might as well mark this passage, because we will come back here several times. But look in Philippians chapter 1, and I want to read verses 20 through 24. Philippians 1, beginning there with verse 20. Look what the Apostle Paul writes. He writes, "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you." Now, let me go back, if you would please, to verse 20.

He says, "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death." Now, the word "magnified" is a very interesting word. It's "megaluno" in the Greek, and it literally means to magnify, to enlarge, to show as great, to laud, to celebrate, to glory, to praise. So he says, what I want more than anything else is for Jesus Christ to be glorified in my body, whether it is in life or whether it is in death. Now, you have to consider where the Apostle Paul was when he wrote the book of Philippians. The Apostle Paul was in prison. He was expecting to have his head severed at any moment from his body.

Now, I want you to look at this. He says, in verse 21, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." So he said, if I live, I'm going to live for Jesus Christ. If I die, it is gain. Now watch. He said, "But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not." And then he says, "I'm in a strait," that is, I'm in a predicament. I'm in a tight spot betwixt two. That is death and life. Watch carefully. "Having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." And if you want to really understand this, add two words: "for me." Which is far better for me. And then he goes on to say, "Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you." So Paul said, I'm in a strait betwixt two, because I know what's best for me. What's best for me is to die and be with Christ. But what's best for you is if I continue in the flesh and I am able to continue to teach and preach as well. So he's saying if he died, he's going to be the gainer and he's not going to lose anything by living because whatever he does, he's doing that Christ might be magnified. So in the strictest sense of the word, here was what Paul was saying.

Living and Dying to Magnify Christ

The way to die is to die in faith, after a righteous life. We cannot die in faith unless we live in faith. Paul's desire to magnify Christ in his body applies to every believer.

Does it matter whether I live? Does it matter whether I die? All I want is for Jesus Christ to be magnified in my body, in my life. If he allows me to live, I'm going to magnify him. If I die, I want to magnify him. The concern of the Apostle Paul, even concerning his death, was that he might magnify the Lord Jesus Christ. So let me put it like this. The way to live is to live for God's honor and God's glory. The way to die is to die for God's honor and God's glory. The way to live is to live righteously and godly. The way to die is to die righteously and godly. The way to live is to live glorifying Jesus Christ. And the way to die is to die glorifying Jesus Christ.

Now, may I remind you about Hebrews chapter 11. When you read Hebrews chapter 11 in the first part, you'll read about Abel. You'll read about Enoch and Noah and Abraham and Sarah and some others. And guess what the Bible says in Hebrews 11 in verse 13: "These all died in the faith, not having received the promises," that is the fulfillment of them. But they believed and they counted themselves as pilgrims and strangers and sojourners. But the Bible says, "These all died in the faith."

Now, let me give you a very simple and very understandable truth. We cannot die in the faith unless we live in faith. We cannot die glorifying our Lord unless we live glorifying our Lord. You remember, it was wicked Balaam, the false prophet, who in Numbers 23 in verse 10 said, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." But Balaam did not die the death of the righteous because he was not a righteous man. He was killed with the sword of the children of Israel. He was a wicked ungodly reprobate. You cannot die the death of the righteous unless you live the life of the righteous. You cannot die in faith unless you live in faith.

Now, let me ask you a question, and I want you to think about this. The Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 1 through chapter 11 lays down doctrine. The doctrine of depravity, the doctrine of justification, doctrine of election, all this doctrine. When you get to Romans 12 and verse 1, he begins to make a practical application. And I want you to listen to what he said in verses 1 and 2. He said,

Now he says,

So here's a good question: How do you present your body a living sacrifice?

I preached an entire message on that several years back. But I want you to see something. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans, chapter 6, Romans chapter 6. And it's verse 19 that I want. Here is a very practical way that we are to present our bodies to the Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to think about this. Look in Romans, chapter 6 and verse 19.

The apostle Paul says, "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh." In other words, your flesh is weak. Your flesh is sinful. So you want to understand this? Here it is: "For as you have yielded your members," that is members of your body, "as you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness." What is the Apostle Paul saying? Here's what he's saying. When you were lost, before you were converted, before you were saved, you served sin with all of your body. Every member of your body, including the faculties of your mind and your heart and soul, everything in you served sin. Now he says the way you present your body, as you take every member and you present it to the Lord Jesus Christ, just like you used to use every member for sin. Now you use every member for righteousness and holiness sake.

Now I want you to go back in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 1. Let me show you this. Please keep that in mind. I ask you to mark Philippians chapter 1, but look, if you would, Philippians 1 in verse 20, look at what the apostle Paul said. Philippians 1 verse 20: "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body." So Paul is saying he does not want to be ashamed in any way. He does not want to be ashamed of any member of his body. He wants his entire body to magnify the Lord Jesus Christ.

Boldness in Life and Death

Paul sought to magnify Christ with all boldness. The early church prayed for boldness amid threats. Boldness honors Christ because it comes from Him.

Now, Lord willing, in a few weeks, I'm going to be bringing two messages on the word "ashamed." I was astounded this past week or two, as I was searching the scripture, to find how many times the word "ashamed" occurs in the Bible. There are some things we should be ashamed of, some things we should not be ashamed of, but the apostle is saying he does not want to be ashamed in anything. Did you know that our Lord said in Mark 8 in verse 38, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and my words in this sinful and adulterous generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father and with his holy angels." So the apostle Paul said, "I don't want to be ashamed."

Now, notice something else in Philippians chapter 1 in verse 20. Look what he said: "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death." Now the apostle Paul said he not only wants to yield every member, he does not want to be ashamed in anything, but now he's also saying he wants to do this with all boldness. You know, there's a passage in Proverbs 28 in verse 1 that says this: "The wicked flee when no man pursueth, but the righteous are as bold as the lion." Most of us never know the boldness of a lion. We're not even around lions. But years ago, I was preaching in Arizona and I visited a man who had a private zoo. And he took me around and showed me all the animals. And here was this lion. And he said, "This is my pet." And he stuck his hand in the cage and he pet that big male lion just like he was a little kitty cat, you know. And I asked him, I said, "Could I pet him?" He said, "Sure." He said, "Anybody can pet him."

"Except when it comes time to eat." I said, "What are you talking about?" He said, "I'll show you." As docile as that lion was, when that man went and got a big chunk of meat and threw it in that pen, that lion roared and pounced on that meat. And I mean, was just devouring it. He was not embarrassed at all to roar and to pounce. He had boldness. In other words, this is what our Lord is saying. The wicked flee when no man pursueth, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Acts chapter 4. Acts chapter 4. And I want us to begin reading there with verse 23, because the apostles, at least some of them, have been arrested, so to speak.

They've been called before the elders, the rulers, the chief priests, all of these people. And of course they've been threatened. And so if you look in Acts chapter 4 in verse 23, the Bible says, "And being let go, they went to their own company and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness

they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Now, I want you to note something. When these Christians were persecuted, when they were threatened, they did not ask God to lighten the persecution. They did not ask him to do away with their enemies. They said, "Lord, grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness we may preach thy word." Boldness in the presence of the enemy. And once they had prayed, the place was shaken. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. And they spoke the word of God with boldness. Our boldness, as well as our faithfulness, honors the Lord Jesus Christ. And the reason our boldness honors the Lord Jesus Christ is because it is from him. Ephesians 3 and verse 12 says, "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him." This is why the apostle Paul in Philippians 1 in verse 20 said that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. Now, let me show you what Paul is saying, and I want you to think about this.

God's Sovereignty Over Life and Death

Our times are in God's hands. Job 14:5 says our days are determined. We should trust God with the timing and manner of our death, seeking to honor Him.

Paul is saying, there is with me a holy indifference. It really doesn't matter whether I live or die. I'm going to be the gainer either way. If I die, I'm going to be with the Lord. If I live, I'm still going to be with him, serving him, magnifying him, honoring him. And so there was a holy indifference in his life. So Paul was quite willing then to leave whether he lived or whether he died in the hands of the Lord. You know, by the way, it should be that way in each of our lives as well.

Now, let me explain this. Although there was a holy indifference as to whether or not he lived or died, he understood that God was sovereign. That did not mean that he desired death instantly or immediately. He knew he was going to die. It is normal and natural for everyone to want to live. I could tell you this, I want to live. I don't want to die. I know I'm going to die. But, you know, I'm just simply saying that is a normal and natural thing. And as long as I live, I want to keep preaching and teaching the word of God. It's just that simple.

And obviously, then the truth of the matter is this. When we say that there is a holy indifference as to whether we live or die, that does not mean that we're suicidal. Okay. I usually tell people, if you ever hear that I've committed suicide, you begin a murder investigation because I'm not doing it. Okay. It's just that simple, but it doesn't mean that we're suicidal. Neither does it mean that we ignore our body and ignore our health.

As long as I have my being, I want to be as healthy as I can so I can serve the Lord and preach His word as long as I can. It's just that simple. But I do know that one of these days that I'm going to die and there's absolutely not one thing I can do about it. You know what the Bible said in Psalm 31, verse 15? "My times are in thy hand." See, the apostle Paul knew that. He knew his time was in God's hand. In Psalm 76 in verse 9, the word of God says, "Who holdeth our soul in life and suffereth not our feet to be moved." So God not only has our times in his hand, he's the one who holds our soul in life. And we should trust him as to whether we live or whether we die, because everything about us is in his hands. I believe it should be the desire of every real Christian to magnify our Lord in our life and in our death and leave it up to him as to when he takes us home. Now, we were taught to pray by our Lord. Listen to this. Help me out now. "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." What did he say? "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Wow. If we want his kingdom to come, if we want his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, do we not want his will to be done in our lives?

And the answer would be yes. Now, I want to give you another quote. Then I want to show you something. Albert Barnes was commenting on what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 1 in verse 20. And he says this: "If my trial shall result in death, then he, that is Paul, believed he would be able to show such a spirit as to do honor to Christ and his cause. He was not afraid to die, and he was persuaded that he would be enabled to bear the pains of death in such a manner as to show the sustaining power of religion and the value of Christianity. Christ is magnified in the death of Christians when his gospel is seen to sustain them. When supported by its promises, they are enabled to go calmly into that dark valley."

"And when in the departing moments, they confidently commit their eternal all into his hands. The effect of this state of feeling on the mind of Paul must have been most happy. In whatever way his trial terminated, he felt assured that the great object for which he lived would be promoted. Christ would be honored, perhaps as much by dying as a martyr, as by his living yet many years to proclaim his gospel." "He was therefore reconciled to his lot. He had no anxiety. Come what might, the purpose which he had most at heart would be secured, that the name of the Savior would be honored and glorified." And that's true. If we really believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we know that whether we live or whether we die as Christians, we can honor him.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 116. I want you to look at verse 15. This is one of my favorite verses. I preached from this text when my father died. I preached from this text when my mother died. And I preached from this text on the deaths of many Christians. But I want you to pay close attention to what the scripture says in Psalm 116 and verse 15.

And by the way, these words are inscribed on the headstone of my father's and mother's grave. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Now, the Hebrew word for "precious" is the word "jakar," and it's translated as precious, costly, excellent, and honorable. It refers to that which is very valuable, that which is prized, that which is rare, that which is weighty and glorious. David is saying in this passage that God does not hold our lives in a small estimation. And God does not expose us to death just casually or needlessly. No. He's saying that our deaths are exceedingly precious and honorable and valuable in His sight.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, back just a few pages to Job 14. Job 14. I'm sure that you know this passage, but I want you to understand it in light of what we're talking about. You know, the truth of the matter is, when I say that we're going to die, it's not just our births that have been decreed by God, but also our deaths. And the manner in which we are going to die have also been decreed. But look in Job 14, beginning there with verse 1. He puts forth some very obvious truth to begin with. "Man that is born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble." That's certainly true. "He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not."

"And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one." So no one can save himself. But look at verse 5. Talking about man, "Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass." Do you realize, just like God said to the ocean, "Hitherto shalt thou come, and hither shalt thou proud waves be stayed." The waves cannot go farther than God's decree. And none of us are going to live one second longer than God's decree concerning our deaths. So it is not really the issue how long we shall live.

It is how we shall die. And will we honor our Lord and magnify him in our deaths as well?

The Preciousness of the Saints' Death

Psalm 116:15 declares the death of saints precious to the Lord. God sometimes takes the righteous early to spare them from evil. The deaths of martyrs have promoted the gospel.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 116. I want you to look at verse 15. This is one of my favorite verses. I preached from this text when my father died. I preached from this text when my mother died. And I preached from this text on the deaths of many Christians. But I want you to pay close attention to what the scripture says in Psalm 116 and verse 15.

And by the way, these words are inscribed on the headstone of my father's and mother's grave. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Now, the Hebrew word for "precious" is the word "jakar," and it's translated as precious, costly, excellent, and honorable. It refers to that which is very valuable, that which is prized, that which is rare, that which is weighty and glorious. David is saying in this passage that God does not hold our lives in a small estimation. And God does not expose us to death just casually or needlessly. No. He's saying that our deaths are exceedingly precious and honorable and valuable in His sight.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, back just a few pages to Job 14. Job 14. I'm sure that you know this passage, but I want you to understand it in light of what we're talking about. You know, the truth of the matter is, when I say that we're going to die, it's not just our births that have been decreed by God, but also our deaths. And the manner in which we are going to die have also been decreed. But look in Job 14, beginning there with verse 1. He puts forth some very obvious truth to begin with. "Man that is born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble." That's certainly true. "He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not."

"And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one." So no one can save himself. But look at verse 5. Talking about man, "Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass." Do you realize, just like God said to the ocean, "Hitherto shalt thou come, and hither shalt thou proud waves be stayed." The waves cannot go farther than God's decree. And none of us are going to live one second longer than God's decree concerning our deaths. So it is not really the issue how long we shall live.

It is how we shall die. And will we honor our Lord and magnify him in our deaths as well? Now, I do want you to look in Isaiah 57. I want you to see something that you may have overlooked. I did preach a message on this years back as well. But I want you to understand that sometimes God does remove his choicest servants early just to make sure that they do not see the evil that is to come. Usually we don't consider this but notice what he says: "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come." God says many times we don't pay attention to the fact that righteous men, merciful men, godly men, are taken away from the evil that is to come. God said that to Josiah. He said, "I am going to bring evil on this city, but you're not going to see it. You will be dead before the evil comes."

So obviously, however we die, it doesn't matter if we die a martyr's death, doesn't matter if we die of old age, doesn't matter if we die in what the world calls a car accident, doesn't matter if we die of natural causes of disease, how we die, glorifying the Lord is that which is important. Albert Barnes once again says this: "How much has the cause of religion and Christianity been promoted by the patient deaths of Polycarp, and Latimer, and Ridley, and Huss, and Jerome of Prague, and the host of martyrs? What does not the world owe and the cause of religion owe to such scenes as occurred on the deathbeds of Baxter, and Thomas Scott, and Haliburton, and Payson? What an argument for the truth of Christianity." "What an illustration of its sustaining power. What a source of comfort to us who are soon to die. To reflect that religion does not leave the believer when he most needs its support and consolations. That it can sustain us in the severest trial of our conditions here. That it can illuminate what seems to be to us of all places most dark, cheerless, dismal, repulsive, the valley of the shadow of death." Isn't that amazing?

Conclusion: The Way to Die

The way to die is to die saved, righteous, glorifying Christ, with a view toward heaven. Death is a shadow for believers; Christ has removed its sting. We should magnify Christ in life and death.

When you and I look and see how God has sovereignly and powerfully worked in the lives of these men and women who've given their lives as martyrs, it should encourage us. So, let me make an application and I'll give you some things to think on. The way to die is to die saved, trusting only in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The way to die is to die righteously after having lived a righteous and fruitful and faithful life. The way to die is to die glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. The way to die is to die like the apostle Paul with a view toward heaven and the crown that awaits. You remember Paul did lose his head, but in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verses 7 through 8, he said it like this: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

And what did our Lord say to the church in Revelation chapter 2 in verse 10? He said, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life." So obviously, when we die, death is not the end. It's the beginning. We're to look forward to the crown of life.

Now, let me make another comment. You know, David said, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he restoreth my soul." He goes on to say, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." Note, if you would, "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." So there's a tree out front. So here's my question: If you're standing in the shadow of that tree, are you in the tree? No. There's no work for you climbing the tree. There's no danger to you in that tree. You're just in the shadow of it. David talked about the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus Christ has already taken the sting out of death for the child of God. We're not walking in the pains of death and the sting of death. We're walking only in the shadow, in the cool, calm, reposed shadow of death. So for the child of God, death is the beginning, not the ending. And we should be concerned to glorify God, not just in our lives, but in our deaths as well.

And it could be done by His grace. And Paul said he wanted to magnify Jesus Christ, whether in life or in death. May we do so as well. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank you for his word. We thank you, Father, that you've told us the way to die and the way to die is to die in faith, believing in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Help us, Lord, to love thee, to live for thee, to honor thee, and to die for thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.